Binghamton Senators Weekly

Published on April 3, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Binghamton Senators News Release


LAST WEEK: Binghamton trails the Bridgeport Sound Tigers by 11 points in the race for the final East Division playoff spot.

FRIDAY, MARCH 31ST vs. WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON (2-0 W): Goalie KELLY GUARD earned the fourth shutout of his rookie season, stopping all 27 Penguins shots in a 2-0 win on Friday night. Defenseman JAN PLATIL scored first for Binghamton only 57 seconds into the second period, and nine seconds after a lengthy stoppage in play due to an injury to Penguins defenseman CHRIS KELLEHER. There would be no more scoring in the game until DENIS HAMEL scored into an empty net with only 32 seconds remaining in regulation. DANY SABOURIN made 30 saves on 31 shots and lost for the fourth time in five starts. Neither team scored on the power play with Binghamton going scoreless in seven tries and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton failing to convert on four tries.

SATURDAY, APRIL 1ST vs. NORFOLK (1-3 L): DENIS HAMEL joined DONALD MacLEAN of Grand Rapids as the first players to crack the 50-goal mark in the AHL since BRAD SMYTH scored 50 for Hartford in 2001. HAMEL'S 50th tied the game at 1-1 less than five minutes after SCOTT BERTOLI scored his career AHL goal at 8:58 of the opening period. Forwards QUINTIN LAING and MATT KEITH each scored in the second period to help Norfolk pull away en route to the 3-1 victory. KELLY GUARD got the start once again and stopped 30 of 33 shots in the loss. ADAM MUNRO made 34 saves on 35 shots as he earned the game's first star for the Admirals. Binghamton once again did not covert on the power play, going scoreless in three chances. Norfolk scored once on four opportunities.

SUNDAY, APRIL 2ND @ BRIDGEPORT (4-3 W OT): Binghamton went ahead 2-0 at 3:43 of the first period when GRANT POTULNY scored his 19th goal of the season only 13 seconds after CHARLIE STEPHENS 21st gave the Sens an early 1-0 lead. But the next three goals belonged to Bridgeport . PETER TSIMIKALIS and MATT KOALSKA scored only 16 seconds apart late in the first period to tie the game and rookie RYAN O'MARRA, the New York Islanders first-round draft pick in 2005, scored his fourth goal in only his third AHL game to give the Sound Tigers their only lead at 3-2. Defenseman JAN PLATIL tied the game with only one second remaining in the second period, giving the third-year pro his second goal in two games. After a scoreless third period, DENIS HAMEL lifted Binghamton to a 4-3 win with his 51st goal of the season. Binghamton failed to convert on the power play, going scoreless in four attempts. Bridgeport scored twice on 11 opportunities. BILLY THOMPSON stopped 19 of 22 shots in the win while WADE DUBIELEWICZ made 24 saves on 28 shots.

THIS WEEK: Binghamton takes on the East Division leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Wednesday night for the final time this season. Bridgeport and Rochester will visit the Arena during the weekend and the Senators will induct two new members into the Binghamton Hockey Hall of Fame on Saturday night.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5TH @ WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON (7:05 p.m.): Binghamton won its second consecutive game against the Penguins last Friday night. The Senators are 15-12-4-0-0 (W-L-T-OTL-SOL) all time against the Penguins, but have only a 5-7-3-0-0 (W-L-T-OTL-SOL) record on the road. Center ERIK CHRISTENSEN leads all scorers with eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) in six games.

FRIDAY, APRIL 7TH vs. BRIDGEPORT (7:05 p.m.): Post-game player awards. All of the Senator's annual awards, with the exception of Best +/- and the Rocco J. Testani Star of the Year, will be announced during a ceremony on the Arena ice at the conclusion of Friday's game: The Senators will attempt to extend their three-game winning streak against the Sound Tigers on Friday night at the Arena. Binghamton won their last meeting, on Sunday in Bridgeport, on an overtime goal off the stick of DENIS HAMEL. Binghamton holds an 8-4-0-0-1 (W-L-T-OTL-SOL) all-time advantage at home against Bridgeport.

SATURDAY, APRIL 8TH vs. ROCHESTER (7:05 p.m.): Dave Staffen and Ken Gernander will be inducted into the Binghamton Hockey Hall of Fame prior to Saturday's game. The Sens will wear special Hall of Fame jerseys that will be auctioned at the Arena at the conclusion of the game. All proceeds from the auction will go towards the Day Nursery Association. Binghamton has won three of its last four games against the Amerks and has a 3-3-0-1 record against the North Division foe this season. Defenseman NATHAN PAETSCH leads all scorers in the season series with 13 points (3 goals, 10 assists) in seven games.

SENS SNIPPETS: DENIS HAMEL scored his 119th goal as a Binghamton Senator on Sunday. His next goal will tie HAMEL with former Binghamton Whalers forward PAUL FENTON and former Broome Dusters and Binghamton Whalers forward RANDY MacGREGOR for the most career AHL goals with a Binghamton franchise (120). HAMEL played in his 500th career AHL game on Sunday in Bridgeport and scored his 35th AHL career game-winning goal...The Senators played all three games last week with only five regular defenseman after both FILIP NOVAK and BRAD NORTON were called up to the big club...Bridgeport's magic number to clinch the East Division's final playoff spot is four. Any combination of four points earned by the Sound Tigers or lost by the Senators will put Bridgeport in the Calder Cup playoffs...Defenseman JAN PLATIL had four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in three games last week. PLATIL had four points (1 goal, 3 assists) in each of his first two seasons in the AHL...Binghamton has not scored a power-play goal in three consecutive games, their longest stretch of the season without scoring on the man advantage...The Binghamton Senators franchise has scored 958 regular season goals, 42 shy of reaching one thousand. Binghamton scored 239 goals in 2002-03, 210 goals in 2003-04 and 276 goals last season.

SENS IN THE COMMUNITY: No community appearances scheduled.

SENS LEADERS: POINTS: Hamel - 84 (51 + 33) GOALS: Hamel - 51

ASSISTS: Martins - 52 PPG: Hamel - 23

GWG: Hamel - 7 SHG: Hamel, Potulny & Ward - 2

PIM: Ward - 268

WINS: Guard - 22 GAA: Guard - 3.07

B-SENS ON THE AIR: All Binghamton Senators games are broadcast live on 680 WINR-AM, a Clear Channel station. Fans can also access the broadcasts online at www.binghamtonsenators.com. Tune in 30 minutes prior to the game for Countdown to Faceoff with the voice of the Binghamton Senators, Grady Whittenburg.

B-SENS ON THE INTERNET: A new partnership between the B2 Networks and the American Hockey League will allow fans of the Binghamton Senators to watch all of the exciting action online, whether the team is home or away, via streaming video. For only $6 and a high-speed internet connection, you can tap into the B2 Networks this season by following the B2 link on www.binghamtonsenators.com.

GET YOUR TICKETS: Tickets are currently on sale for all of the B-Sens regular season home games. Tickets cost $15.50 for side seating and $14.50 for end seating. Fans can purchase tickets at the following locations: Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena box office (Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday, 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.), Binghamton Senators executive office, third floor of the Arena (Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and on game days until the end of the second period.), www.binghamtonsenators.com or by calling (607) 722-SENS.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 3, 2006


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